Scottish village honors John Lennon

Durness, Scotland -- The remote Scottish village where John Lennon spent summer holidays as a child is honoring the late Beatle this weekend with a festival.

About 3,000 people are expected to visit Durness for the John Lennon Northern Lights Festival, The Scotsman reported. That temporarily increases the village's population by a factor of 10.

Lennon and other relatives visited the village because an aunt had married a local man. The family gatherings are believed to be the inspiration for the song "In My Life."

Years later, in 1969, Lennon visited Durness again to show it to his second wife, Yoko Ono, bringing their son Julian and Ono's daughter.

Lennon's sister, Julia -- named after their mother, who inspired the song of that name -- and a cousin, Stan Parkes, are representing the family at the festival. Ono sent a message recalling her visit.

Members of Lennon's first band, The Quarrymen, have also made the journey.
"This is an awesome place," said Chris Pigott, a fan from Argyll, impressed by the village in the far north of Scotland. "The fact Lennon came here as a wee boy is a tenuous reason for a festival, but it's good enough for me. It's a bit surreal, but it works."

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Copyright 2007 by United Press International.